Articles of footwear generally include two primary elements: an upper and a sole structure. The upper is often formed from a plurality of material elements (e.g., textiles, polymer sheet layers, polymer foam layers, leather, synthetic leather) that are stitched or adhesively bonded together to form a void within the footwear for comfortably and securely receiving a foot. More particularly, the upper forms a structure that extends over instep and toe areas of the foot, along medial and lateral sides of the foot, and around a heel area of the foot. The upper may also incorporate a lacing system to adjust the fit of the footwear, as well as permitting entry and removal of the foot from the void within the upper. In addition, the upper may include a tongue that extends under the lacing system to enhance adjustability and comfort of the footwear, and the upper may incorporate a heel counter for stabilizing the heel area of the foot.
The sole structure is secured to a lower portion of the upper and positioned between the foot and the ground. In athletic footwear, for example, the sole structure often includes a midsole and an outsole. The midsole may be formed from a polymer foam material that attenuates ground reaction forces (i.e., provides cushioning) during walking, running, and other ambulatory activities. The midsole may also include fluid-filled chambers, plates, moderators, or other elements that further attenuate forces, enhance stability, or influence the motions of the foot, for example. In some configurations, the midsole may be primarily formed from a fluid-filled chamber. The outsole forms a ground-contacting element of the footwear and is usually fashioned from a durable and wear-resistant rubber material that includes texturing to impart traction. The sole structure may also include a sockliner positioned within the void of the upper and proximal a lower surface of the foot to enhance footwear comfort.
One manner of reducing the weight of a polymer foam midsole and decreasing the effects of deterioration following repeated compressions is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,183,156 to Rudy, hereby incorporated by reference, in which ground reaction force attenuation is provided by a fluid-filled chamber formed of an elastomeric material. The chamber includes a plurality of tubular chambers that extend longitudinally along a length of the sole structure. The chambers are in fluid communication with each other and jointly extend across the width of the footwear. The chamber may be encapsulated in a polymer foam material, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,219,945 to Rudy, hereby incorporated by reference. The combination of the chamber and the encapsulating polymer foam material functions as a midsole. Accordingly, the upper is attached to the upper surface of the polymer foam material and an outsole or tread member is affixed to the lower surface. Chambers of the type discussed above are generally formed of an elastomeric material and are structured to have an upper and lower portions that enclose one or more chambers therebetween. The chambers are pressurized above ambient pressure by inserting a nozzle or needle connected to a fluid pressure source into a fill inlet formed in the chamber. Following pressurization of the chambers, the fill inlet is sealed and the nozzle is removed.
Fluid-filled chambers suitable for footwear applications may be manufactured by a flat-film bonding technique, in which two separate polymer sheets, possibly an elastomeric film, are bonded together along their respective peripheries to form a sealed structure, and the sheets are also bonded together at predetermined interior areas to give the chamber a desired configuration. That is, the interior bonds provide the chamber with a predetermined shape and size when inflated. In a thermoforming process, the sheets may also be heated and molded to impart a pre-determined shape. Such chambers have also been manufactured by blowmolding, wherein a molten or otherwise softened elastomeric material in the shape of a tube is placed in a mold having the desired overall shape and configuration of the chamber. The mold has an opening at one location through which pressurized air is provided. The pressurized air induces the liquefied elastomeric material to conform to the shape of the inner surfaces of the mold. The elastomeric material then cools, thereby forming a chamber with the desired shape and configuration.